Venezuela’s Maduro Claims Arrest of Mercenaries
Nicolás Maduro, the leader of Venezuela, announced on Thursday that security forces have detained over 50 individuals he refers to as “mercenaries.” He alleged that these people were recruited by the “extreme right” to carry out bombings and violent assaults within the country.
While Maduro made this claim, he did not provide any evidence to support it. The context for his announcement coincides with upcoming elections in Venezuela, described by many as fraudulent. These elections are set to take place on Sunday, aiming to choose new governors across Venezuela’s 23 states and local councils. Further complicating matters, the Maduro administration intends to conduct similarly dubious elections for a governor in the newly defined “Guayana Jesekiva,” a territory that has been a point of contention with neighboring Guyana for over a century. The International Court of Justice had previously urged Venezuela to avoid holding elections in this disputed area.
Throughout the week, accusations have emerged suggesting the Maduro administration is trying to discredit opposition voices ahead of the elections, possibly as a shield against anticipated electoral challenges. On Monday, the Minister of Home Affairs reported that all commercial flights between Venezuela and Colombia would be suspended due to alleged activities of terrorists originating from Colombian territory. They claimed that 17 foreigners were arrested in connection with these accusations, and just days later, additional arrests included nationals from Spain, Argentina, and Bulgaria, who were described as “conspirators” against the elections.
During a campaign closure event in Caracas on Thursday, Maduro reiterated his claims about the mercenaries he says were attempting to sabotage the elections. He pointed fingers at former Colombian presidents Alvaro Uribe and Ivan Duque, suggesting that the conspiracy originated from Miami.
“They are from the ‘extreme right,’ trying to bring in mercenaries. We’ve already captured over 50 of them, who intended to carry out violent attacks,” he stated.
He further mentioned that these individuals were allegedly connected to Colombian associates and that their capture showcased the effectiveness of government intelligence. The “Tun Tun” operation, a controversial crackdown campaign that began in 2017, has reportedly been used to target peaceful protesters as well.
Since last year, the Maduro government has detained numerous foreigners from about 25 different countries under dubious claims related to assassination plots and attacks on national infrastructure. The regime insists that these supposed conspiracies were backed by the CIA and the Spanish National Intelligence Centre.
In January, Richard Grenell, a special envoy from President Trump’s administration, traveled to Caracas and helped negotiate the release of six American citizens wrongly detained for conspiring in connection with dubious allegations. This week, another American, Joe St. Clair, was released. Grenell noted that St. Clair remains among a group of Americans still held by the Maduro government.
A recent report by the US Agency highlighted Nicolás Maduro’s use of foreign political prisoners as bargaining chips in negotiations with foreign governments.
In a related development, an Argentine citizen, Pablo Gonzalo Carrasco, was released after being detained while in Venezuela for a cybersecurity event. His case prompted warnings from the Argentine government about the dangers of traveling to Venezuela, citing the risk of similar detentions.
The Maduro administration had previously apprehended a member of the Argentine Gendarmerie after a visit to see family in Venezuela, accusing him of plotting against the regime. His current status remained unclear during a recent press conference.
Meanwhile, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has urged citizens to abstain from participating in the upcoming elections, labeling them as “not free, not fair, and not legal.”
